SERBIAN SPOTLIGHT: Jovana Damnjanovic Artist Interview
A native of Serbia, Dr. Jovana Damnjanović, leads a versatile career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, and composer. She is an Adjunct Flute Professor at the University of North Georgia, member of the flute quartet Flûture, has a private flute studio in Suwanee, GA, and is a part of the Theodore Presser Publishing Company composer catalog. Dr. Damnjanović earned her DMA degree at the University of Georgia under the tutelage of Professor Angela Jones-Reus.
Can you give us 5 career highlights?
Years 2017-2019 were very competition-heavy. I was consistently preparing several different programs at the same time and won Brumby Concerto Competition and performed Reinecke’s Flute Concerto in D Major Op. 283 with the Georgia State Symphony Orchestra, won the 1st Prize at Raleigh Area Flute Association Young Artist Competition, Mid-South Flute Festival Young Artist Competition, Flutissimo Young Artist Competition, and 2nd Prize at San Diego Flute Guild Young Artist Competition. During this time I was also awarded several competitive scholarships and grants that funded the trips to these competitions.
Performing wonderful music with as wonderful musicians such as Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.5 with ARCO Chamber Orchestra, Shakhida Azimkhodjaeva, and Anatoly Sheludyakov; Copeland’s Appalachian Spring with Martha Graham Dance Company under the baton of Jaclyn Hartenberger; Reinecke’s Flute Concerto in D Major Op. 283 with the Georgia State Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Michael Palmer.
I am so grateful that I had the chance to perform some of the most famous orchestral pieces in my career so far such as Debussy’s L’après-midi d’un faune, Rossini’s Overture to William Tell, Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals, full symphonic opus by Beethoven and Brahms, and so much more. I consider myself to be really lucky when it comes to my repertoire experience.
Returning to my hometown Kragujevac in 2019. for a solo recital as part of a music festival. I hadn't performed in front of my parents in 10 years at that point so it was a really important and emotional recital for me.
Publishing my etude book MAYKA through the Theodore Presser Company was definitely one of my most dearest to heart accomplishments.
How about 3 pivotal moments that were essential to creating the artist that you've become?
The first thing that comes to mind is not a moment, quite the opposite - it is lifelong support from my parents. Whenever I have a chance to acknowledge them publicly, I do. I truly believe that their unconditional support of all my musical endeavors was essential in creating the artist in me as they always provided me with space to be who I am. Besides that, I would say that moving to the USA to continue my education and pursue my doctoral degree was one of those life-changing moments that shape you not only as an artist, but first and foremost as a person. This change took a lot of bravery and that bled into my musicianship. I became way more “hungry” and excited to tell the world what I have to say and also became much more confident. The most recent moment was a couple of years ago when I played the recording of my first etude “Домdisturbed” for the class and the reaction I received was not what I expected. This piece was very important and emotional for me but I didn’t expect that people would understand exactly what I was feeling and that I could move others to tears. That was the moment I knew I wanted to write more. Whenever I tell this story to people I jokingly like to say that I want to make people cry. Jokes aside, there is something special in sharing the most intimate emotions and connecting with the audience on that level.
What do you like best about performing?
Exactly what I just mentioned in the previous answer: connecting with the audience on a deeper level. I believe in holding music and the message and emotion it entails above myself. The art lies in that selfless giving and I believe people sense that. There is nothing more special than that initial silence, music, audience’s undivided attention, and connection that is felt in the room.
CD releases?
Not yet, but hopefully soon! It is a dream of mine to record a CD of my works in the future. I have already recorded the entire MAYKA collection, so maybe it will be sooner rather than later! I am also hoping to record my most recent piece for flute quartet “Deda” with my quartet Flûture in the future, as well (pun very much intended)!
What does your schedule look like for the next 6 months?
Busy! I have a few recitals and guest artist visits with the Flûture quartet, I will be working on a commission for the University of Georgia flute studio, preparing my University of North Georgia students for their performances and juries, I have a gigantic private flute studio full of flute babies to prepare for the GMEA All-State and all other competitions, working on the Atlanta Flute Fair and competitions with the wonderful Atlanta Flute Club, and preparing for my faculty recital in Spring!
What are your goals personally? Professionally?
Personally - goal is to learn how to balance life and work. I think a lot of musicians struggle with this because we cannot separate music from personal life. There is so much beauty in that and a lot of times I do not feel the need for separation of the two, I truly enjoy it. However, I must say I have neglected a lot of my personal life and my goal is to fix that. Maybe this interview can hold me accountable that I will make more time for myself, spend more time with my friends, travel, and just enjoy some time off!
Professionally - there are many goals. Recently, most of them are about writing and fully seeing my growth as a composer. Since I wear many hats as a musician, each of those hats has separate goals but I must say I am just very grateful to be able to do what I love every day and that I continuously feel inspired.
What inspires you the most in life?
Life itself and people. All of my music thus far has been inspired by some of the most important people in my life.
What has been your professional greatest challenge?
I must definitely say that moving to the USA was the greatest challenge. I had to build myself, prove myself, and “find” myself here. With the consistent feeling of homesickness, it was not easy to do any of the above mentioned. I am very grateful for the life I have built here and for all the wonderful people that I have met. The flute community I am a part of is so supportive and I have made life-long friends.
What has been your personal greatest challenge?
I will continue with the same answer - moving away from my country. I cannot describe how much I miss my family and friends back in Serbia. Luckily, we live in the time of amazing technology and I am able to connect with everyone every day, however, I do miss seeing them and hugging them.
Who were your music mentors? and what did you learn from them?
My flute teacher all up until college was Snežana Kovačević. She laid such a strong foundation for my musicianship. Not only did she shape me as a flutist, but also as a teacher I am today. She fostered my independent musicianship and taught me how to channel my ideas in the right direction. I later studied at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad with Laura Levai Aksin and with the wonderful Sarah Kruser Ambrose at the Georgia State University. Sarah played such an important role as she helped me rebuild myself as a musician in a new country and brought back my confidence. During all this time I am very grateful to have experienced lessons and masterclasses with some of the most amazing flutists such as Emmanuel Pahud, Kersten McCall, Michael Hasel, Felix Renggli, Leone Buyse, and many more. Each of them gave me nuggets of wisdom, inspiration, and direction. These were some unforgettable lessons. Last, but the most important: Professor Angela Jones-Reus. I can write a whole essay on how much respect, admiration, and appreciation I have for her. I truly wish for every flutist to have a “perfect match” with their professors like I do with her. Just being in lessons with her and listening to her unmatched, gorgeous tone would have been enough for me to soak in and learn and she shared so much with me so selflessly.
Can you give us 5 quirky, secret, fun, (don't think too much about this) hobbies or passions?
I am a proud plant lady! This is not really a secret because I am so passionate about my plants and love sharing photos of them. I love cleaning and organizing! I go above and beyond and try to keep every little corner in my home clean and every drawer neat - it’s just something that makes me happy. I love making textured art, embroidery, but currently, my biggest obsession is LEGOs and I enjoy building LEGO model cars.
What 3 things would you offer as advice for a young flutist?
Work hard, stay in love with what you do, and take risks both professionally and musically.
How did you start composing?
Ever since high school I used to write something just for fun or as an exercise. Sadly, I never kept any of the pieces or thought much of them. My solfège teacher once told me that he thinks I will eventually be a composer, but I never really took that seriously. Many years later, while I was working on my dissertation at the University of Georgia during Covid-19 lockdown, Dr. Cynthia Johnston Turner gave us an assignment to write etudes for our instruments. This is how “Домdisturbed” was “born.” After that, the faculty suggested that I should write a whole collection and that is how MAYKA was born.
What do you like best about composing?
I love being able to either give life to something or memorialize something or someone.
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